Method and apparatus for making blanks from cans



June '12, 1945. D A RQOM" 2,378,136

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BLANKS FROM CANS Filed July 6, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. DARRELL A. F/POOM 7'TORNEV D. A. FROOM 2,378,136 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BLANKS FROM CANS June 12, 1945.

s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1943 INVENTOR. DARRELL A. mop/v ATTORNEY June 12, 1945. D. A. FROOM 2,378,136

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BLANKS FROM CANS Filed July 6, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 30b DARRELL A. FROOM ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND' APPARATUS FORIMAKING BLANKS FROM CANS Darrell A. Froom, Santa Maria, Calif. Application July 6, 1943, Serial No. 493,642

8 Claims. (01. 164-105) This invention relates to amethod and apparatus for making flat blanks from cans.

The general object of the invention is to provde both a novel method and apparatus by means of which a flat blank may be made from an ordinary tin can. Flat blanks of this nature are useful since various articles such as bottle caps, toys, etc. may be made from them and thus valuable material may be salvaged.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus for cutting the ends from a tin can.

A further object of-my invention is to provide a. novel cutting means for severing the ends from a tin. can to provide a flat blank.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a novel fixed cutting member assembly which is particularly adapted for use in a blank making apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel removable cutting member assembly which is particularly adapted for use in a blank making apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to a novel means for drivin the feed rolls and cutter of a blank making apparatus.

Other objects and the advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view with parts broken away showing my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with showing my invention;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an end view with parts in section showing the cuttin members;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 1-1, Fig. 4, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing a can prepared for feeding to my apparatus.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, I have shown my invention as embodied parts in section in an apparatus for making blanks from tin cans which is indicated generally at I ll.

As shown the apparatus includes a base I I having a pair of spaced vertical standards I2 arranged thereon. The standards include outward- 1y directed flanges l3 at th top, bottom and sides,

with the flanges at the bottom held on the base II by bolts I4.

The standards l2 are spaced apart by a pair of upper rods I5 and a lower rod Hi. The rods provide Hand I6 have reduced threaded ends which reend thereof. The flanges 25 are aligned with the portions 2| and the lower faces of the flanges are plane and engage the faces 22 on the portions 2i. Bolts 26 and 21 pass through the flanges 25 and also through the flanges l2 to hold the cutter assembly in place. When the bolts 26 and 21 are removed the cutter assembly may be removed to permit sharpending of the shear members (to b later described) or for substitution of other shearmembers.

The transverse member 24 has a flat, upper intermediate, substantially horizontal, surface 28 and the forward end of this transverse member turns downwardly as at 29. The cans, as shown in dotted lines at 30, Fig. 4, being operated upon pass over this curved surface 29 and onto the surface 28 and rest upon lower shear members 3|.

The shear members 3| consist of flat hardened blades each being bevelled as at 32 and having a relief recess 33 (see Fig. 7). The shear members engage portions 34 in flanges 35 arranged on the transverse member between the flange 25. The'members 3| are held in plac by screws 36.

The flanges 35 are provided with aligned apertures 31 through which an elongated rod 38 extends. This rod 38 is provided with threaded extremities which receive nuts 39 to hold the rod I in place. Pivotallymounted upon this rod 38 at each end thereof and just outside of the shear blades 3| I arrange pivoted shear members 40. Each of these shear members Miconsists of a body 4| having a slot 42 in th upperportion scribed. The springs tend to'raise the meni-v bers 4| to elevated position. v

Each of the members 4| is provided with a rabbet 51 which has a straight upper face 52. In this rabbet I arrange a cutting blade 53. These cutting blades 53 have straight upper faces 54 which engage the upper face 52 of the rabbets Each blade 53 is bevelled as at 56 and has a relief recess 51 therein and is removably held in place by screws 58 so that it may be readily removed for sharpening or repair.

The standards 12 are provided with slots 59 at each end through which cylindrical end portions 60 on a cam shaft 6| extend. The cam shaft-BI is supported by suitable bearings 62 (Fig. 5) and at the left end in Fig. l the cam shaft receives a V-pulley 63 which is held in place as-bya'set screw 64. The pulley is adapted to be driven .by

a V-belt 65 from a pulley 66 on a shaft 6'! which is adapted to be driven by a motor 68.

The cam shaft 6| includes a cam surface 69 which engages the rollers 41 on the shiftable cuttingsmembers andtheconstruction is such that as the motor operates :and the :cam shaft is rotated .thelcam shaft. will periodically :depress the :rollers, thus moving the .movable cutting members towards the fixed bladesaafter WhichsflS the cam rotates the springs willjiftthemovable cutting members 48 after the cutismade.

At the left in Fig. l Ivshow azcan guide indicated generally at "III which comprisesa bar"?! having apertures receiving the=adjacent1bo1ts26 and2'l so it is held in place. The bar :11 has apertures "I2 (Fig. '1) through which threaded 'pins'I-3 on a guide plate'ld extend. Nuts :75 serve to hold the guide plate 14 in position. The :guide plateis-arrangedoutside of the adiiacent cutting "members and is :adapted tobe engaged by the end -mines the width of the blank WhiOhiS beingcut.

There is only one guide plate :14-which' isl'ocate'd, as shown in-Fig. 1, at the left side of the appara tus and adjacent to one cutting member. 7

In operating my apparatus the can is usually provided with a double slit (as later described) butwith-some cans only-a'single slit is necessary.

The can is moved by hand :so that theparts i229 and 3| enter the can and then thecan is rotated by hand until it is engaged'by a pair of-rollstfl and 8| which advance the can. The upper roll '80 is supported in bearings 82, arranged in aiblo'ck 83 which slidesin'ways 84. The ways 84 are-arranged in plates 85 held on the-standards I-Z by bolts 86. The blocks 83 are held in-adjusted position-by bolts -81 which threadedly engage the plate -85-and abut the tops of said blocks. v

The lower driven roll =8I is mounted in sliding blocks -88 which engage theways 84. The blocks 88 engage resilient cushion members 89 (Fig. 3) which in turn engage the bottom'wall 90 of the ways. The cushionmembers 89 have sufficient resiliencyto allow the rolls to separate, asindicated at 9|, the necessary amount to frictionally engage the lower surface of the roll which advances the uncut portion oftheca-n towards the cutting members.

The roll 80 is driven from theroll 8! by gears -92 and 93 which are arrangedupon the ends of the roll members at one end of the'apparatus. At the other end the driven roll 8| is provided with a housing I00 which is free to turn thereon.

This member Hill has a fixed crank arm I0! thereon which is connected to a pitman I02 by a pin I03. The pitman I02 remote from the pin I03 has a head member I04 within which I arrange a suitable bearing I04 which receives a crank arm I05 mounted on a disc member I06 which is held on the cam shaft BI by a set screw I01.

Theconstruction is such that as the cam shaft rotates the pitman 102 will first advance the member I00 and then will retract this member. The member I00 is connected to the feed roll shaft I08 by a ratchet type member HIS. This .sratchet includes a tooth member Illl keyed to one endof the roll 8| by a key III (Fig. 3).

its upper surface slightly above the center between the feed rolls, .1 provide a straightening roll I t3 which is secured in blocks A held in ways -I I5 in theplatesfl5; This ,rolleri I3 serves to engage the cut blank, shown -by dotted lines at 1 i5; as-it leaves the :rolls and .8! and to straighten it into.a -flat'blank. The block H4 areheldin adjustable position-byscreWs .I I! (Fig. 2) which threadedly engage the plates '85 and abut said blocks.

lInFig. 8,I:show the canal having ends 300. and having a longitudinal seam .301). The can before bein operated upon by my apparatus is slitted as :atg36c-alongone side of the seam. I have found that the double slitting is usually preferable :as it is then not necessary to cut through the middle seam 301). With some cans. however, and under some conditions it may be desirable to makemerelylthe single cut 38d before the scan is fed to m apparatus.

From the foregoing description it'will'be apparent that I have invented a novel machine for making blanks from cans which is rapid in "operation, easily manufactured and notdikely to 'Havingthus described my invention, I claim: 'In anapparatusfor' making blanks from 'tin cans, a pair of spaced cut-ting members, means to pivotally support said cutting members a feed roll in advance of said cutting members, the aixis :of said feedroll being parallel .to' the axis of the pivotal support of the cutting members, means to :operate the cutting members, and means 013- erated by the putting member operating means for driving-the feed roll.

2. Inaanapparatus for making blanks from-tin cans, a table adapted to support an intermediate portion of-a can. body, a'pair of cutting members, one at each end of the table, guide means adjacent to one cuttingmember, means to operate the cutting members to simultaneously out off both ends-of:acan,:and meanstoadvance the can step :bystep-towardsbothcutting members.

,3. In an apparatus for makingblanks from tin cans, a base, a pair of standards :on the'base, a table extending between said standards, a pair of :iianges .mounted onthe table intermediate the endsrthereoflascutting member support on .said

flanges and-a cutting member assembly on said cuttingmembersupport.

4. In an apparatus for making blanks from tin cans, a: pair of :spaced, .coaxially mounted pivoted cutting -members,.a :fixed shear plate adjacent to each cutting member, a feed roll in advance of said cutting members, theaxisof said feed roll being parallel to the axis of the cutting members, a cam roller on each cutting member, a cam rod having cam surfaces engaging the cutting member cam rollers to actuate the cutting members to cutting position, means to drive the cam rod and means operated by the cam rod to drive the feed roll.

5. In an apparatus for making blanks from tin cans, asupport member having a plane upper face, a cutting member assembly having a plane lower face engaging the plane face on the support, means to hold the assembly in place, said assembly including a body having a blade support thereon, and a blade engaging the blade support, said blade being relieved on its cutting face.

6. In an apparatus for making blanks from tin cans, a table, a pair of flanges mounted on the table, a cutting member support mounted on said flanges, a movable cutting member assembly mounted on said support, said assembly including a body having a cam roller thereon, a blade carcans, a base, a pair of spaced standards on the base, a support member on each standard, each support member having a plane upper face, a

ried by saidbody, a cam and means whereby said cam engages said roller to move the cutting member body.

7. In an apparatus for making blanks from tin pivoted cutting member assembly mounted on each base, each assembly having a portion ineluding a plane lower face engaging the plane face on the support, means to hold each assembly in place, each assembly includin a body vhaving a cam roller thereon, a blade support on the body, a blade engaging the blade support, said blade being relieved on its cutting face.

8. In an apparatus for making a blank from a tin can, a support fora can body, a cutting member at each end of the support for severing the ends of a can body, a pair of feed rolls in advance of the cutting members, means to adiustably support said feed rolls, resilient means engaging one of said feed rolls, means to drive the cutting members, said means including a cam shaft, a crank member mounted on the cam shaft a pitman on the crank member, a housing on said feed roll, ratchet means connecting the housing and saidfeed roll, said housing having an arm thereon and means pivotally connecting the arm and the pitman.

DARRELL A. FROOM. 

